Air New Zealand Completes Biofuel Test

Published January 04, 2009

Air New Zealand has completed a test flight partially using jatropha-based fuel, another experiment on the path to cleaning up the emissions and impact of flying.

The airliner sent a 747 on a two-hour flight Dec. 29 from and to Auckland International Airport. One of its four engines was filled with a 50-50 blend of fuel based on the jatropha plant and conventional jet fuel.

As with biofuels for automobiles, using biofuels to replace jet fuel has the possibility to actually create more greenhouse gas emissions, replace food crops and lead to other negative impacts if not sourced properly.

Air New Zealand set a number of criteria for its jatropha, requiring that the land it came from was neither forest nor virgin grassland in the previous 20 years, that the soil and climate it came from is not suitable for the majority of food crops and that the farms are rain fed and not mechanically irrigated. The company has also set general criteria for seeking sustainable fuels, saying that such biofuels must not compete with food resources, that they must be as good as traditional jet fuels and that they should be competitive costwise with existing fuels.

Next month, Continental Airlines will also take jatropha for a spin with a test flight that will use a mix of jet fuel and fuel based on both jatropha and on algae.

The tests continue

Anonymous, January 6, 2009 - 07:14

The likelihood is that we will try to use a number of different biofuel sources - jatropha and algae included - instead of simply focusing on one source. That is why the industry is investing in a 'drop-in' fuel, so that it can be mixed with normal Jet-A1 and the ratio increased as sustainable biofuels become available... from whatever source they may come. For more information about the activities at a global level, check out our web resource on the subject at www.enviro.aero/biofuels.aspx

Haldane Dodd
Air Transport Action Group, Geneva

Algae: The New Biofuel

Anonymous, January 5, 2009 - 10:24

Algae is a renewable fuel, does not affect the food channel and eats C02. Algae oil can be converted into fuels such as jet fuel, biodiesel, and biogasoline. The byproduct biomass is used in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, bio-plastics and organic fertilizer.

To learn more about the commercialization of the algae industry, you may want to check out this website:

www.nationalalgaeassociation.com

"Not competing with food resources?" Um...

Anonymous, January 5, 2009 - 08:07

"The company has also set general criteria for seeking sustainable fuels, saying that such biofuels must not compete with food resources, that they must be as good as traditional jet fuels and that they should be competitive costwise with existing fuels."

That's an awfully high bar to clear. I like the idea, but that bar's monstrously high. And a situation ripe for some definition fudging. But...I still like the idea. :)

Mike @ EcoSalon.com

Air New Zealand Photo

Anonymous, January 5, 2009 - 05:56

The photograph you are using of two Air New Zealand 737's is about 30 years out of date.

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